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Failing Dallas pension fund could bankrupt the city

by Jody Barhanovich

The $2.8 billion Dallas Police and Fire Pension System could potentially go bankrupt, according to a meeting at the Texas state capital.

Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings suggested a big part of the problem was that pension fund members have been guaranteeing themselves an 8 percent return on their investments, and retiring with multi–million dollar DROP (deferred retirement option plan) accounts. DROP is a program that provides employees access to a lump sum benefit in addition to their monthly retirement benefit when they terminate employment and retire.

Reportedly, the pension fund recently has been besieged with retirements after a slate of proposed cuts to benefits was made public in August.

The pension fund has demanded the city to provide a $1 billion check in 2018, which would cost taxpayers a 130 percent property tax increase.